Wing Chun to Vietnam-by Nguyen Ngoc Noi

In 1939, Master Nguyen Te Cong fled to Viet-Nam, since then, he became the founding father (Su-to) of Vietnam WingChun branch. From 1939 to 1954, Su-to stayed in Hanoi, acepted and trained disciples in WingChun Kung-fu. These disciples were Chinese and Vietnamese, among them there are several considered as his true successors, and were pictured with him (see photo). In reallity, only 2 from these 6 disciples (in the picture) open class to train WingChun, based on what they had learned from Su-To. They are the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien (the first from the right), the late grandmaster Tran Van Phung (the first from the left, in glasses). Later on, there was also the branch of the late grandmaster Ngo Sy Qui. At the end of 1954, Su-to Nguyen Te Cong with his family went to the South Vietnam. In the South, he accepted several disciples, some of them later open class to train WingChun, such as Master Ho Hai Long (real name is Nguyen Duy Hai). In Sai-gon (now is Ho-Chi-Minh City), Su-to Nguyen Te Cong and his family lived in Dong Khanh Alley, Cho Lon district. In the afternoon of 23/6/1959 (or 18/5 lunar calendar) He passed away after 2 days since acquired disease. His body was burried in The Canton graveyard, Cho-lon district. I have heard that this graveyard was moved away to clear land for building the Dam-Sen Park. Therefore, at the present, it is not clear where his grave moved to. In April 2004, I (Nguyen Ngoc Noi) - disciple of the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien - had advertised in the daily newspaper “Sài Gòn Giải Phóng” (consecutively in 3 issues) in a hope to find the family of the son of Su-To Nguyen Te Cong , however, no response until now. Hopefully, through this website, if anyone has any information on Su-to (and his grave as well) and his family, please kindly let me know through this email address : Vietnam WingChun. I am very gratefull.

Two months before he passed away, on 25/4/1959, Su-to Nguyen Te Cong let his disciples take a picture of him while practicing Wooden Dummy Techniques. Fortunately, this picture is preserved and became a priceless as a historical mark of Vietnam WingChun.

At the begining of 1977, doctor Nguyen Khac Vien, used to be a disciple of the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien, invited the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien to show several WingChun techniques (including 108 form, Chi-sao, and Nei kung) for filming in a documentary on phisical excercises. One his disciple - Ms Nguyen Thi Bich Van - also participate with him. The documentary was still kept today. This is extremely precious memory of our teacher for Vietnam Vinh Xuan Noi Gia Quyen.

In cold days, late January 1980, partly due to the city electricity network broken down, the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien health got worse, as he already was paralysed due brain haemorrhage. In the Vietnam-Cuba Hospital (92 Tran Hung Dao st.) on 7/2/1980 (i.e 21/12 lunar calendar) he passed away at the age of 69. At the moment there were his wife (Sư nương) - Le Thi Lang, his son - Trung, a nurse, and I (Nguyen Ngoc Noi, his disciple). He was burried at the Van Dien cemetery, Hanoi. After exhumation, he was moved and reburied in the Yen Ky cemetery, Son Tay. On the funeral day, one of his disciple -Le Kim Giao- wrote an oration, mentioning his reputation and his karma, since he met Su to Nguyen Te Cong .

In September 2003, two disciples of the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien - master Nguyen Manh Nham and Phan Duong Binh - joined with 2 branches of the late grandmaster Tran Van Phung và the late grandmaster Ngo Sy Qui to establish an organization called “Ving-Tsun Club”, officially opened on 14/9/2003.

On 5/7/2004 (or 18/5 lunar calendar), 45 year aniversary day since Su to Nguyen Te Cong passed away, the Web site of Việt nam Vĩnh Xuân Nội gia Quyền (Viet Nam WingChun in short) was officially published on the net. From deep inside our heart, we sincerely dedicate the site to Su to Nguyen Te Cong and our teacher Tran Thuc Tien. Owing to them, Viet Nam WingChun established and develop widely today, and WingChun disciples in Vietnam fortunately acquired quintessence of WingChun - the marvelous and misterious invention over thousands years of humankind. To their souls, we promise to develop and contribute to WingChun with all our greatest efforts.